A refugee settlement was established near the village of Ban Nong Samet in May 1979, and received its first shipment of food aid on October 11th. It grew to be one of the largest refugee camps on the Thai-Cambodian border and served as the base for the Khmer People’s National Liberation Front (KPNLF) until its destruction by the Vietnamese army in 1984. Originally referred to as Chumrum Thmei (New Camp) to distinguish it from its neighbour and rival Nong Mak Mun, referred to as Chumrum Chas (Old Camp), Nong Samet was later renamed 007 “because of its many intrigues” and, in August 1980, “Rithysen” after a Cambodian folk hero. The original camp was located just inside the Thai border, a few kilometers northeast of Nong Mak Mun and Nong Chan. All three camps were ruled by warlords who controlled commercial activities and managed food distribution to the civilian population.

The camp’s first leader was Long Rithia, a former captain in Lon Nol’s Khmer National Armed Forces (FANK) who rallied a few hundred soldiers and established the Angkor National Liberation Movement. In December 1979, another former FANK officer, In-Sakhan, declared himself leader of Nong Samet. Realizing the size of the camp’s civilian population would determine his power base, he encouraged a thriving border marketplace from which smugglers brought commodities into Cambodia. The market attracted thousands of traders and black marketeers, and the guards and guides needed to transport goods and cash in this almost lawless area. Gold and gemstones often substituted for currency on the border and In-Sakhan’s soldiers served as security guards. 

In-Sakhan at first reported to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that the camp’s population was at least 200,000, and aid agencies provided food and water for 180,000 until December 1979, when it became apparent that the warlord was hoarding much of the food. At this time the situation on the border was too chaotic to conduct a census or challenge him. Rivalry with Nong Chan and Mak Mun frequently led to armed violence. In-Sakhan also had to defend the camp against the Khmer Rouge, who attacked from nearby Phnom Chat on January 4th, 1980. The camp was evacuated but the refugees quickly returned. 

In late January 1980, UNICEF and ICRC attempted to distribute food directly to Nong Samet’s population, now estimated roughly at 60,000, but without In-Sakhan’s cooperation it proved almost impossible. Many Nong Samet residents were forced to go to Nong Chan for food because their rations were being taken by In-Sakhan’s troops.

In late February 1980, aid agencies stopped distributing food in Nong Samet altogether. Two weeks later, UNICEF conducted a nutrition survey and found widespread malnutrition in the camp population. ICRC decided to try direct distribution to locked warehouses in the camp, and to allow section leaders to distribute rice to the population. A crude census of the camp was attempted but an attack on Mak Mun in late March forced several thousand refugees to flee to Nong Samet, thus invalidating the census. Two days later, Mak Mun warlord Van Saren attacked Nong Samet in retaliation. This was followed by another counterattack on March 22nd, in which Van Saren was presumed killed, and Mak Mun was closed on April 11th by the Thai government.  Most of its population had already relocated to Nong Chan and Nong Samet.

In late May 1980, Nong Samet was moved to a site adjacent to Prasat Sdok Kok Thom, an area with poor drainage and landmines. It was in this location that most of these photos were taken. On July 12th 1980, troops commanded by a former ally of In-Sakhan attacked Nong Samet and drove him to Aranyaprathet, where he surrendered to the Thai Army. He later joined Sihanouk’s Armee Nationale Sihanoukiste (ANS) forces. He was replaced by Om Luot, who had declared his loyalty to the KPNLF, and who remained in control for the next two years.  

 

(Information from Wikipedia and Thai/Cambodia Border Refugee Camps Information & Documentation Website)